We finally caved and got an Echo Dot because it was only $9 along with 1 month of Music Unlimited. We currently don't use anything in the house that supports Alexa, so no turning off lights, etc. What do you use Alexa for? Give me your best tips!
-
Amazon Storytime is a hit at my house! It is a skill you have to enable, but my kids love it. Animal Workout is also a hit.
Out of curiosity, how did you have one for $9? I'm looking for another one!
-
@meganmp: Oo thanks! Let me go find those!
They had a deal yesterday, pay $0.99 for an echo dot plus $7.99 for 1 month of Music Unlimited, so basically the dot was about $9 after tax! -
Timers when cooking is the most useful to me! And Playing music.
-
I use the timer, weather forecast, music, audible, and asking random questions "how many teaspoons are in a tablespoon etc?"
-
We mostly use ours to listen to music (Amazon, Pandora, Spotify). Occasionally for podcasts. We use the timers a lot - for things around the house and for DD. Weather forecasts, news updates, and general questions. DD can set a timer or play music on her own, which is helpful.
-
I have Google Home and we use it for music(dance parties) and checking the weather!
-
Setting timers for anything and everything including enforcement of things like screen time, bedtime, etc.
Shopping list. Even my husband (sometimes) adds to the shopping list when he eats the second to last chip and puts the early empty bag back in the pantry.
-
I set musical cues for the kids! About 6 minutes before we need to be out the door for school ‘’Hair Up’’ comes up to remind the kids to get their hair brushed and shoes on. Then there’s a song called ‘’Time for School’’ which means bout your backpack on and walk out the door. It’s been really helpful.
We also do audiobooks before bedtime and the kids can ask for them themselves from Alexa. Then we switch to lullabies after 20 minutes.
The kids also ask about the weather every morning when they are getting dressed.
-
Literally everything
Music, shopping lists, timers, reminders, weather, and asking random questions are the most frequent!
-
We use it for setting reminders all the time - I always think of things I need to take care of or calls to make way too early in the morning, and it's helped sooo much to set a reminder to make the call at a more reasonable time later in the day.
My four year old also gets to pick a song to play for Alexa to play while she gets her school stuff ready in the morning to leave the house. She tries to get everything gathered/done/put on before the song is over and it's helped move her along more quickly.
Our other big thing is setting timers - for transitions for the kids, for things in the oven, etc. The other day, my four year old tried to set a timer for me - she told me when it went off, I should bake her brownies. Maybe we've used that feature too much!
My four year old also can't say l's well yet, so Alexa doesn't really listen to her...and it can turn into a lot of yelling "Awexa!" very loudly. I think I could change it's name, but sometimes I'm glad she can't talk to it a whole lot more!
-
We started with 1 Echo dot and then when down the rabbit hole. We now have 2 Echo dots, 1 Echo and 1 Echo show in addition to some other smart devices.
By itself we use for music, shopping lists (I love that I can dictate as I run out of things in the kitchen), weather & timers.
With other echos in the house:
We have our bedside lamps, ceiling fan/light on smart plugs so we can turn those on/off with verbal commands (no more fighting for who gets up to turn off the light!)Highly recommend getting a smart plug if you are setting up a Christmas tree. Saying "Alexa turn on tree" is so much better than crawling around behind the tree to plug it in/out 2x a day.
You can us it as an intercom. So my husband can "drop in" the echo in the kitchen to let me know to start the coffee.
You can make announcements (like "Dinner is ready" and it'll repeat it on an echos in the house simultaneously.
You can make calls. So if I'm cooking and have my hands in a raw chicken I can have Alexa call my husband so he stops to get rice from the grocery store on the way home.
We use it to control our Roomba
We have a nest lock, thermostat & doorbell so we integrate those with Alexa as well.
-
Dumb question maybe, but with the exception of certain compatible home devices, aren't these mostly things that could also be done on a smart phone? Granted for $9 i can see that it could be convenient to have a dedicated device...
I got one on prime day for cheap to be compatible with some smart plugs for lamps that had switches in awkward positions, on floor beside chairs. Pregnant me got sick of bending over and crawling back there. But DH made me send it back saying he hated having a speaker that could be hacked and is a potential spy device (again, I don't see how it's any different than siri in this regard....)
-
@Littlebit7: Yesss I definitely will be doing the timer! They probably will listen to Alexa better haha! So when you add things to the list, you check the Alexa app to see everything right?
@JCCovi: Oo musical cues; that's next level! Do you tell Alexa to play that? Or you set a reminder for Alexa to play it at a certain time?
@caitcat: Does that go on your calendar? Show up on Alexa app? Or you tell her to announce the reminder back to you at a certain time? We've had it for like 2 days and my 2 are already fighting over who gets to tell Alexa what to do....
@ModernDayJibarita: I was very proud that we were an Alexa/Google free home lol, but now I totally get what you mean, I WANT MORE, lol! Thinking about how nice it would be if I'm stuck with a sleeping/nursing DS3 next yr and can just get help without screaming or trying to find my phone, etc. And THANK YOU; adding smart plug to cart NOW for Christmas tree. So brilliant. We will prob very slowly start to integrate household things...
-
@periwinklebee: That was why I was "proud" that I was an Alexa free home back when there were all these reports about hacking! I *think* a general advantage of these things is that it's hands-free too, and no need to d/l an app for every different brand/item? I didn't even have a wireless speaker in the living room prior, so currently everyone's just having fun playing music and it totally helps to cut down screentime!
-
@graceandjoy: It’ll remind me back at a particular time like, “Alexa remind me at 2:00 to call the vet” and at 2, it repeats the reminder.
-
@graceandjoy: yes you can see the list on the alexa app!
My four year old also can't say l's well yet, so Alexa doesn't really listen to her...and it can turn into a lot of yelling "Awexa!" very loudly. I think I could change it's name, but sometimes I'm glad she can't talk to it a whole lot more!
Reply
Subscribe to our newsletter
- Google Plus
- Stumbleupon
- Twitter
- Facebook
- Pinterest
- Favorite0
16 comments